Various types of formation fluid recovery systems have been devised for moving fluid from a downhole hydrocarbon formation to the surface. Common fluid recovery systems are beam pumps, progressive cavity pumps electric submersible pumps and gas lift systems. All of the above have operational issues which can limit their performance and application. Jet pumps are useful in a wide range of well applications. Nonetheless, jetpumps for use in hydrocarbon production are a relatively underdeveloped technology.
To date, jet pump systems have been installed using either conventional jointed tubing or conventional coiled tubing. In some of these installations, the process requires that there be two strings installed in the well. Where two strings are used, they are most typically configured as a tubing string inside of a tubing string, or a concentric configuration. In most of these applications the tubing systems are not adapted for rapid deployment and retrieval.
There are operational and technical advantages to configuring the system with two or more substantially parallel tubing strings or electrical conductors. However, until recently significant practical problems with this approach had not been addressed. The present invention provides a bundled tubing system which is readily deployed and installed in a wellbore using a single conventional coiled tubing unit. Combining this system with a jet pump facilitates a broad range of applications, for example production of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon bearing formation.
The abstract of U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,545 reads as follows: “The device employs the jet pump principle to bring a power fluid to sedimented solids and the like plugging a conduit, and it includes at least one nozzle which directs the power fluid in a high-velocity jet against the solids to bring the solids into suspension for subsequent removal thereof using the jet pump principle.”
The abstract of U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,190 reads as follows: “A down hole jet pump having various unique features which enables the pump to be used with various types of producing wells including those which produce gas along with a large ratio of water which may include considerable abrasive solid materials and can be run and retrieved inside coil tubing of relative small diameter as well as conventional threaded pipe of relatively small diameter. The embodiments of the jet pump disclosed enable the components of the jet pump to be retrieved by reversal to enable removal, replacement or adjusted to provide optimum operation of the pump in accordance with the installation requirements without the use of special tools.”
Concentric completion may require that a service rig first run an outer string and then run an inner string. The inner string may be a jointed string or a string of coiled tubing. In either case a considerable amount of time is required for installing the concentric strings; equipment and operating costs can therefore be significant. Similarly, if the downhole equipment must be retrieved, concentric tubing may increase the time required for retrieval of the downhole equipment.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a system and method for multi-string tubing jet pump system for fluid production.